Improvement in carpet-stretchers



E. W. BULLARD.

lmbrovement in Carpe-t-Stretchersi Patented May 28,1872.

Witnesses.

Inventor.

FFICE.

PATENT EZEKIEL TV. BULLARD, OF BARRE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARPET-STRETCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 127,303, dated May 28, 187:2.

Specification describing an Improved Garpet-Stretcher, invented by EZEKIEL W. BUL- LARD, of Barre, in the county of WVorcester and State of Massachusetts.

This is a simple and compact stretcher for laying carpets, designed for family use. The invention consists in thecombination of a clamp to grasp the carpet, and a hand-lever by which to pull the same, the latter having a spur-sector to engage with the floor, so as to secure progressive fulcrums. The carpet is folded back so as to give space for the stretcher, and the jaws grasp the edge of the fold, touching only the wrong side of the fabric. The instrument is thus adapted to be used without injuringthe finest carpet. As stretched the carpet is held by temporary fastenings, and its margin subsequently secured in usual manner.

In the accompanying drawing, the figure is a perspective view of the device in working position, a corner of a carpet being represented by dotted lines.

A B represent jaws; A B, the stems of the same; 0. a cam for forcibly depressing and lockin g the movable jaw B; and D, a spring for elevating said j awwhen released, the whole constituting a clamp to grasp the folded carpet. E represents a han dlever, by which to pull said clamp to stretch the carpet. The faces of the jaws A B are ribbed, so as to intermesh and thus hold more securely. The cam G is pivoted by pintle 2 between a pair of standards, y, projecting from the stem A, immediately behind the jaws, and is constructed with a lever, 00, terminating in a ring for the application of a finger to lift it. It engages with the back of the stem B of the movable jaw B, and is self-locking by reason of the position of its pivot. The spring D is arranged between the stems A B, and attached to the former. The stem B and the movable jaw B are pivoted, by pintle 10, between a pair of standards, arising from the rear end of the stem A, which standards, projecting upward and rearward, receive also a pintle, a, pivoting and attaching the lever E. The upper end of the lever E terminates in a wooden handle, it, of convenient size. Its lower end is enlarged longitudinally of the device, to form a sector, 8, with spurs l 2 3 4 5 on its periphery.

The details of construction, although partic ularly described, are not at all essential, but obviously admit of considerable modification.

The operation of the stretcher is illustrated in the figure. corner of a carpet. The carpet is first secured along two adjoining edges. The other edges are then folded back to accommodate the stretcher between the same and the walls. A point of the edge of the fold is then secured in the clamp by depressing and locking the movable jaw B by means of the cam O, and the hand-lever E applied with the first spur l of its sector 8, as a fulcrum, the same beingforced into the floor. The other spurs 2 3 4 5 come into action successively, as required, until the necessary movement is accomplished. As the carpet is'stretched at each point, temporary tacks are applied, and subsequently the fold is laid down and the margin permanently secured by means of tacks or other fastenin gs, in usual manner.

To detach the stretcher, it is only necessary to lift the lever-a7, turning the cam 0, when the spring D elevates the jaw B, and the carpet is released.

The device may be cheaply manufactured out of malleable cast-iron, and is intended and adaptedfor household use.

The following is claimed as new:

I claim a carpet-stretcher composed of a clamp, A B O D, to grasp the carpet, and a hand-lever, E, with spur-sector s, applied to the former to pull the same, combined and operating substantially as herein shown and described, for the purpose specified.

EZEKIEL WV. BULLARD.

Witnesses HENRY J. SHATTUCK, A. G. WHEnLocK.

The dotted lines represent a 

